RG&E apologizes after sending email to customers with pictures of the wrong Rochester

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Rochester Gas and Electric, a company that has been located in Rochester, New York for 175 years, is apologizing for sending its customers an email that included stock images of Rochester, Minnesota.

The email went out early Wednesday morning from Patricia Nilsen, the president and CEO of Rochester Gas and Electric. It detailed a number of “commitments” and “investments” the utility is making in Rochester.

It read in part, “Our commitment to this region runs deep, starting 175 years ago as we supplied gas and electricity to a growing community on the shores of Lake Ontario. We are still powering this community and investing in growth to support the vibrance and vitality of the Greater Rochester Area and its people. A strong, safe and resilient grid is the backbone to the region’s economy. Our team plans, builds and maintains the infrastructure you depend on to stay comfortable, productive, engaged, and safe. It’s not a commitment we take lightly. Our team of more than 800 of your friends and neighbors work around the clock to make sure the power is there when you need it. In fact, our reliability is the best it’s been in five years.”

The email included three stock photos which were purportedly of the City of Rochester, NY but it turns out, they were photos of Rochester, Minnesota.

After being called out by a number of customers on social media, RG&E re-sent the email with fresh pictures of Rochester, New York and posted this update to Twitter: “Our customers received an email today about our economic development efforts in the Flower City, but it contained photos of another beautiful Rochester – In Minnesota! We apologize for this error and are resending. Shout-out to @ExperienceRoch, the City of Care and Innovation.”